


Take Me To Your River

by Meduseld



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Gen, Near Death Experiences, The Delaware river, You could read this as Ben/Caleb if you wanted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-11-16 05:39:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11247432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meduseld/pseuds/Meduseld
Summary: Ben might be dying.





	Take Me To Your River

Ben’s teeth are chattering so hard he’s amazed they haven’t cracked.

He can feel his mind slipping sideways, words and ideas fluttering up where he can’t quite reach.

The end of his braid is a hard frozen point, carving a small red circle onto his back with solid Delaware River water.

He thinks he’s going to die.

Around him, men move, frantic and purposeful, cutting in and out of his vision like apparitions.

Blink, and there’s a group of them hauling a canon, blink, they’re gone, blink and there’s a fire, blink and it’s dying, blink and it’s roaring.

The world is grey and the hour is none and Benjamin Tallmadge is not anywhere at all.

In the space between heartbeats, he realizes that the blood on his back has dried and the water’s run away and there’s warm skin pressed against his.

There’s a beard on his shoulder and breath slipping along his cheek and his bones know who is there and everything that’s lead to this. He can’t tell if his eyes are open or not, but he’s smiling.

His tongue feels like a stone clicking against his teeth, but he manages “Is there a reason you’re naked in my bed?”

Caleb sucks in a deep breath, like a man drowning, and tightens his arms like rigging.

“You keep laughing there, Benny-boy, you little shite”.

Another breath and softer.

“Keep laughing so long as you stay alive to do it”.

Ben smiles and he falls into sleep like snow from the sky and the memory turns to steam.

There are another five days before he wakes.

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies to Stephen King for the line I cribbed.


End file.
